After Pakistan, Uzbekistan gets China’s J-10 fighter; Bangladesh could be next

A J-10 of the Chinese Air Force firing rockets during an air-to-ground firing exercise. (Image credit: Chinese defence forces)

The Uzbek Air Force, has taken procession of its first J-10CE from China. This makes Uzbekistan the second country after Pakistan to operate the multi-role fighter aircraft developed by the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC). The aircraft were seen landing in the country just before the country marks its 35th independence day. Uzbekistan is reported to have ordered as many has 24 J-10s, of which at least six have been delivered to the central Asian nation. At the same time Pakistan is said to operate as many as 20 aircraft and China’s People’s Liberation Army Air Force operating a little over 600 of these aircraft. Bangladesh, too is likely to procure this aircraft and has started the process to acquire the single engine Chinese aircraft.This comes at a time when China’s defence exports have declined despite a rise in global arms procurement. The rise is driven largely by Europe’s response to the Ukraine war. Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) notes China’s share of the global defence market has dropped, with Pakistan absorbing most of its exports and Bangladesh taking a smaller share.

The appeal of the J-10

The J-10, known as ‘Vigorous Dragon’ in China, is ana advanced fighter aircraft comparable to fourth-generation fighter aircraft offered by western nations and Russia. The newer versions of the aircraft ae equipped with some of the latest sensors and avionics. This sophisticated suite consists of an advanced Active Electronically Scanned Array radar and an infrared search and track system, that can track aircraft through the target aircraft’s thermal signature.The aircraft is armed with air-to-air weapons such as the beyond visual range PL-15 missile. Some of these missiles, fired by Pakistani aircraft, were recovered intact in the fields of Punjab during the active phase of Operation Sindoor. The Chinese variant of the aircraft are also armed with the extremely long-ranged PL-17 missile, which has an advertised range of over 400 km and is designed to bring down large and less maneuverable force multipliers such as AEW&CS aircraft and aerial refuelling platforms. The aircraft also deploy different types of air to surface weapons such as missiles and bombsChina’s J-10C may not be Beijing’s most advanced fighter, but it could well be its most consequential in terms of exports. The single-engine jet combines an agile airframe with long-range missile integration and modern avionics in its C-variant, all at a fraction of the cost of heavier twin-engine fighters. Its drawbacks, limited range compared to heavier platforms, single-engine survivability concerns, historical reliance on Russian engines and high radar observability, are real but haven’t stopped it from becoming a workhorse. Expected to serve for decades as a high-low complement to the stealthy J-20, the J-10C represents China’s gradual break from foreign dependence and its rise as a serious aerospace power.For air forces like Bangladesh’s, still flying ageing Chengdu F-7s and a handful of MiG-29s, the J-10CE offers a considerable leap. Maintaining Soviet-era fleets has grown harder by the year, with airframe fatigue, dwindling spare parts and shrinking Russian reliability, worsened by the Ukraine war and sanctions, all weighing on readiness. Chinese jets offer a way around these constraints, arriving bundled with weapons, training and support, without the political strings that often accompany Western defence deals.